The present invention relates to a herbicidal composition, especially, a herbicidal composition suitable for controlling weeds in fields of corn.
At the present time, numerous herbicides are commercially available and used. There are, however, many species of weeds to be controlled and their growth extends over a long time. For this reason, requested are herbicides with higher herbicidal activity, wider herbicidal spectrum, and no problems for phytotoxicity to crops.
The present inventor has intensively studied to find out excellent herbicides. As a result, he has found that various weeds growing in crop lands or non-crop lands can be effectively controlled by a herbicidal composition containing as active ingredients, 2-[2-chloro-4-fluoro-5-{3-methyl-2,6-dioxo-4-(trifluoromethyl)-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyrimidin-1-yl}phenoxy]propionic acid ester (hereinafter, referred to as the present ester) and N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine (common name; glyphosate, hereinafter, referred to as glyphosate) or its salt. He has further found that the herbicidal activity is synergistically increased as compared with the cases where the active ingredient are independently used, and the herbicidal composition can, therefore, be applied at a lower amount; and that the herbicidal spectrum is expanded and especially, a wide variety of weeds in fields of corn can be controlled, thereby completing the present invention.
Thus, the present invention provides a herbicidal composition comprising as active ingredients, the present ester and glyphosate or its salt (hereinafter referred to as the present composition); and a method for controlling weeds which comprises applying them to weeds.
The present ester which is one active ingredient of the present composition represents C1-C7 alkylester, C5-C6 cycloalkylester, C3-C6 alkenylester and the like. These compounds can be produced according to the method described in the following production example.